Benny Feilhaber’s performance at the 2010 World Cup is finally paying dividends for the Rio de Janeiro-born, Southern California-raised midfielder, some 30 months after it probably should have.

Perhaps no American player’s stock rose higher in South Africa than that of Feilhaber, whose composed yet spirited contributions off the bench helped the U.S. national team recover from multiple deficits, win a World Cup group for the first time in 80 years and take Ghana to overtime in the round of 16.

His ability to see the field and make timely and productive passes represented a relatively rare skill set among American players and helped fuel those World Cup comebacks. The U.S. enjoyed a 4-1 goal differential when Feilhaber was on the field in South Africa and suffered a three-goal deficit when he wasn’t.

His Danish club, AGF Aarhus, had been relegated at the end of the 2009-10 campaign. For the then-25-year-old, the timing was never going to be better for a high-profile move.

It never came.

“I played well and had a good run, but whether it’s with my club or the national team it’s not a matter of how many teams are interested. That happens to the top players in the world but not necessarily for everybody,” Feilhaber told Sporting News this week.

So he stayed at Aarhus, spent a nearly a full season in the Danish second division, then signed with MLS for nearly $450,000 per year.

The moribund New England Revolution picked him up in April 2011. Feilhaber’s slow slide from relevance continued over the ensuing year and a half as he struggled to earn his keep and find his way.

Over the past two years, Feilhaber has played just 61 indifferent minutes for the U.S (last January in a friendly against Venezuela) and the national team’s 2012 media guide didn’t even list him as a member of the player pool. Meanwhile, he failed to hold on to his starting role in New England and last season managed just one goal and two assists in 29 MLS games. The losing wore on him and he heard the speculation that his demeanor and attitude were at the root of his lackluster performances.

“I know people write about that stuff,” he said. “I don’t agree with a lot of those things. I don’t think I have a bad attitude or I’m a difficult player to deal with. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. People see that. Maybe some people don’t like it. I’m extremely competitive and I want the best out of myself and my teammates.”

His confidence in his ability never wavered, however. He acknowledged that his state of mind can impact production—“If you’re mentally happy on and off the field, I think you’re definitely going to play better soccer and that’s definitely the case for me,” he said—but he remained convinced that he had the “capability of playing at that (international) level.”

So did two very important coaches—Sporting Kansas City’s Peter Vermes and U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann. Now, finally, Feilhaber is getting that 2010 World Cup boost. He’s getting the benefit of the doubt.

Vermes has built a team with a rock-solid core and philosophy that will contend for an MLS Cup title. He jumped at the chance to trade for Feilhaber after the Revolution declined his 2013 option. And Klinsmann, perhaps still looking for a mobile player who can dictate pace and spread the ball effectively, has welcomed Feilhaber back into the national team fold and invited him to the camp that’s under way in Southern California.

“It is really exciting for me,” Feilhaber told Sporting News from camp. “Obviously making it to the national team is a lot about opportunities and this is another really big one for me. It’s getting close to the World Cup and this could be one of my last chances to make Jurgen’s mind up for him and kind of sneak my way back into the picture. It’s really up to me to prove it to Jurgen that I belong.”

Vermes certainly is convinced that Feilhaber has what it takes. He said following the midfielder’s December acquisition that he doesn’t doubt Feilhaber’s talent or constitution.

“That’s probably always been the most important thing to me is that everybody that comes into this team, that the team is first and it’s not about a bunch of individuals. And Benny fits right into that type of mentality and that, along with his soccer qualities, (ensures) this is a good fit on both sides,” said Vermes, who coached Feilhaber years ago with the Under-20 national team and signed him to a four-year deal.

Sporting had difficulty scoring at times in 2012; Feilhaber, when he’s plugged in, has a knack for hitting the pass that unhinges a defense and gives a striker a clearer look at goal. Comfortable on the left side or centrally, he also might wind up giving Klinsmann a valuable option in midfield. With his proven ability to spark a team off the bench, spots on both flanks available and some shuffling still possible in central midfield if the coaches opt to use either Michael Bradley or Jermaine Jones in a holding role, a spot in the World Cup qualifying rotation is there for the taking.

At the moment, Feilhaber’s skill set remains valuable. Now he’s got to recapture that World Cup form.

“If I’m happy with my situation, then typically I’m going to play better. I’m going to play looser and play more of my soccer. If you’re frustrated, that’s one of the things that happened a little bit in New England, it’s really going to take a lot out of you,” he said.

“Obviously moving to Kansas City is a big thing for me. It’s something I really wanted, to go to a team that’s established and has an identity. It’ll essentially be up to me to play well. There’s really no excuse to not be able to play well in that kind of system and with those players around you. I think that’ll help give me the best chance to play the best soccer I can play and to really enjoy myself again. If I can get back to that level I was at once, I’ll make things difficult for Jurgen.”

Feilhaber will have to make his case to Klinsmann well before he puts on Sporting blue for the first time. Feilhaber knows what the coach demands—full commitment and concentration, the sort of leadership expected of a World Cup veteran, and an impactful performance on game day. Camp will conclude with a Jan. 29 exhibition vs. Canada in Houston. Klinsmann’s “A” team will depart a few days later for the opening World Cup qualifier in Honduras.

“It would be really special, obviously, to play in Brazil,” Feilhaber said. “My entire family besides my parents and my sister still live there. I’ve had that on my calendar since I knew the World Cup would be in Brazil. At the same time, that’s still along ways away for me.”

For many players, the January national team camp is a chance to stake an initial claim to a spot on the depth chart. Feilhaber already has seen the summit. He scored the winning goal in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, a thunderous volley that lifted the Americans to a dramatic victory over Mexico. He helped the U.S. to the silver medal at the ’09 Confederations Cup, and then made his mark on the biggest stage of all the following summer.

Times since then have been tough, but Feilhaber speaks with the energy of a man ready to turn the page. He got married last month, he’ll celebrate his 28th birthday Saturday and he has a new club and a reinvigorated outlook.

“It’s only a year and a half, time-wise, until the World Cup,” he said. “But I need to do a lot of things to help myself get there. It starts in this camp and continues with playing well and winning games and being a success in Kansas City. Based on the players that Jurgen has given chances to with the first team and with quality games, I think it’ll make a huge difference if I can do that. If I’m able to, then we’ll see.”